No one invites the rain to their wedding. It’s a rather unwelcome guest when it shows up. But the wild chaos that it stirs indeed makes for a good story—as long as the couple has a sense of humor. Hell, rain can even make the scene prettier, by bringing out nature’s dark colors beneath a hazy sky and testing two lovebirds right out of the gate.
That’s pretty much what happened when Leah and Anthony tied the knot at Audrey’s Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast in rural New York. The pair weathered the challenge spectacularly well and it only made them seem more in love. Wedding photographer Brogen Jessup captured the big day wonderfully and we had to know more.
Words and Photos by Brogen Jessup
Tell us a little about the wedding you shot.
The couple wanted something simple, as they put it…” we don’t do elaborate”. Both of the venues they choose were cozy and tucked away outside of city limits. There were about 75 guests, 2 dogs and a whole lot of craft beers… oh and bourbon!
What is the beautiful couple's story?
Leah & Anthony spent 5 years together with their dogs in hudson valley NY. They both are very outdoorsy people and enjoy growing their own veggies and eating organic.
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Why did they choose this venue?
Audrey’s Farmhouse Bed & Breakfasts is simply incredible. The small 5 bedroom house was built in the 1740’s and is complete with many of it’s original doors! Getting ready at Audrey's just made sense, with 5 bedrooms they were able to host their closest friends and have them there in the morning for the homemade breakfast (see more in food/eat). Sally the owner is a self taught interior designer who has made the house into an art piece, every corner of the house has so much character.
Gorgeous hardcover books and Pendleton textiles are in abundance. Anthony & Leah chose tuthilltown because they had the venue size needed, they were affordable in comparison with other local venues, they were extremely accommodating with the food and beverages they wanted, and the machinery from the mill made it personal for Anthony (being a mechanic).
From Sally of Audrey's Farmhouse:
"The house has such incredible bones that we wanted to expose the natural beauty of the house, the hand hewn beams and the original wide plank floors. That being said, we wanted to furnish and decorate it with pieces that didn’t feel too out of place being in the countryside, but also didn’t feel too stuffy or dated. It was important to to mix old with new - to embrace the traditional beauty, but to also bring in some modern elements as well. The main sitting room has a very calming neutral color palette as this is the main area where guests congregate and lounge around the fire, while the second living room AKA the Game Room is a bit more dramatic and eclectic. And every room has some of our personal elements peppered in, whether they are some of our favorite art or design books or a brass sculpture we purchased years back at an antique shop.”
What about the surrounding area? What makes it special?
The whole area is tucked away in beautiful pines and colorful fall leaves. The Tuthilltown venue is very industrial but in a setting that was still romantic, lush and rustic. The back lawn is about an acre or so long and has tall pine trees and a creek enclosing it. The guest were able to stay in the surrounding towns with only a 10-15 minute countryside commute to the venue. The venues complimented their personalities and lent a hand with being self decorated and cozy which came in handy since we needed to escape the rain most of the day.
Tuthilltown has great backyard with hammocks and croquet, something they would have enjoyed more if it hadn’t been raining. Audrey’s Farmhouse has lots of fireplaces so after the wedding we came back and chatted about the eventful day in front of the fire… we snacked on leftover homemade pie.
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What makes this venue stand out from the crowd?
Both venues are surrounded by incredible picture worthy locations. We were able to go get craft brews, break into abandoned greenhouses, and have the couple frolic through fall leafs all within a 15 mins radius. Mohonk preserve is highly recommended for bridal portraits. It's a state reserve with thousands of acres and endless possibilities. Her mom and stepdad went out in the rain that morning to pick wildflowers for her bouquet. When her mom walked in with the colorful bouquet my mouth dropped! I couldn’t believe she picked everything off the side of the road!
Did you eat or drink anything memorable?
Audrey’s farmhouse bed & breakfast serves an elaborate and beautiful plated meal. The best part about it is that Sally & Doug (the owners) wake up early in the morning, put on their denim jackets and hunter boots and cook up an amazing meal. Complete with hash potatoes, eggs topped with sage, and eclectic bowl of fresh fruit. They also leave out local cider donuts. The Hudson Valley cider donuts are to DIE FOR. I’m already dreaming about my next wedding up there… they can pay me in donuts I swear. The couple loved the bourbon served at tuthill and even opted in for a bourbon toast instead of champagne.
Any fun stories from the day?
"Walking barefoot in the rain on the freezing carriage roads! My favorite part of the day was actually getting out of the caddy at tuthilltown in the POURING rain and walking across a laid down beam over the creek so we could sneak into the back door without being seen. That's when it became so real. Ah and can't forget moose (our dog) falling in the channel and having to go down after him. probably when my dress got the most ruined!” - Bride
Credits
Photos: Brogen Jessup | Venue: Audrey's Farmhouse
